Obtaining statistics on psychiatric drug usage, especially by age group is now (July 2012) a lengthy and costly affair—upwards of $4,000. The following is a breakdown of statistics that were not readily available to the general public, but which Citizens Commission on Human Rights obtained in 2011 from the Department of Health and Ageing. There is a shockingly low level of transparency regarding psychiatric drug use and conflicts of interests between the pharmaceutical industry and psychiatrists. Medicare has informed those seeking such statistics that they now must provide a detailed explanation for wanting the information and how it will be used. This is information that should be provided annually in health care statistics as a matter of transparency.

CCHR makes this information known in the public interest and in the interests of informed consent.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Based on PBS figures, there’s been a 69% increase in 2-15/16 year olds prescribed antipsychotics between 2007/08 (5,727) and 2009/10 (9,683).

Of the total number of 2-16 year olds taking antipsychotics in 2009/10 (9,683) 79% were prescribed risperidone, towering over quietapine at 9% and olanzapine at 7%.

NSW tops the list of 2-16 years old on antipsychotics, representing nearly a third (3,448) of the nationwide consumption of them in this age group. Queensland ranks second (2,777) and Victoria third (1,881).

THE ELDERLY

Of all elderly aged 72 and above in 2009/10, 48% were taking risperidone, 24% were taking olanzapine, and 11% quietapine.

In 2007/08, the number of elderly prescribed risperidone at age 80 was 1,688 and soared an inexplicable 1,433% (to 25,893) among those aged 81 and older.

Federal reporting of these statistics changed in subsequent years, showing aged groups broken down more generally to 72-76 and 77 plus. Even then, in 2009/10, 5,220 72-76 year olds were taking risperidone, increasing 613% in the age group 77 plus (37,258).

Olanzapine was taken by 4,915 elderly aged 72-76 in 2009/10 and 16,184 aged 77 and over.

Quetiapine was taken by 2,577 elderly aged 72-76 in 2009/10 and 7,629 aged 77 and over.

RISK OF DEATH

The Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) clearly warns of the increased risk of strokes and death in elderly dementia patients, seizures, major weight gain, onset of diabetes and potentially fatal high blood sugar.¹

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also warns that the death rate in the elderly taking antipsychotics is nearly double (1.6 – 1.7 times) that in those taking placebo.² The Australian National Prescriber Service (NPS) reports an increased death rate was found in an analysis of placebo-controlled trials of aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine and risperidone in dementia patients, mostly due to cardiovascular events (e.g. heart failure, sudden death) or infections (e.g. pneumonia) One death was associated with antipsychotic use for every 100 patients treated over 10–12 weeks.³

A Canadian study found that 5.2% of the nursing homes residents studied died within a month of being given one of the newer classes of antipsychotic drugs, compared to 3.3% of residents who did not take the drugs who died within a month. Among community-dwelling patients, nearly 14% taking the drugs suffered a “serious health event” within 30 days, compared to about 4% not on the drugs.⁴

DEATHS ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIPSYCHOTICS

Based on Adverse Drug Reports to the TGA

“Patients ages 30 to 74 who took atypical antipsychotics such as risperidone (sold as Risperdal), quetiapine (Seroquel), olanzapine (Zyprexa) and clozapine (Clozaril) had a significantly higher risk of sudden death from cardiac arrhythmias and other cardiac causes than patients who did not take these medications, according to a study funded by the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in 2009. The risk of death increased with higher doses of the drugs taken. Especially among children and demented elderly patients for whom there is little evidence of the drugs’ efficacy, their use “should be reduced sharply.”⁵

NB: The total number of people PBS reports who take clozapine is low: 894 in 2007/08, 952 in 2008/09 and 1003 in 2009/10, compared to olanzapine for the same period, 101,012; 105,337 and 104,407 respectively. This means the risk of death could be 87,000 greater for those taking clozapine.

The Medical Observer reported in February 2012 that Australia’s monitoring requirements for clozapine are some of the least stringent in the world and have not changed since 1992. The TGA noted that the rate of moderate leukopenia [decrease in white blood cells which places individuals at risk of infection] was “very significant” at 11.8 per 1,000 between weeks 19 to 52, and 6.1 per 1,000 after one year’s use. A psychiatrist and member of the RANZCP complained to the TGA that the monitoring requirements were “unnecessarily onerous.”⁶

The expenditure on clozapine increased steadily over the 2004-05 – 2008-09 period—from $30.1 to $39.4 million.⁷

TOTAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC DRUG USAGE AUSTRALIA WIDE

ALL AGES

14% increase from 2007/08 – 2009/10

MAIN ANTIPSYCHOTICS CONSUMED

NUMBER OF AUSTRALIANS TAKING ANTIPSYCHOTICS – BY AGE GROUP

7% increase in elderly on antipsychotics since 2007/08

STATES – ANTIPSYCHOTIC USE

MAIN ANTIPSYCHOTICS PRESCRIBED CHILDREN & TEENS

ANTIPSYCHOTICS PRESCRIBED THE ELDERLY

TOTAL STATISTICS

Of all elderly aged 72 and above in 2009/10, 48% were taking risperidone, 24% were taking olanzapine, and 11% quetiapine.

1. “Johnson & Johnson fined $1.1bn in Risperdal case”, Herald Sun, 12 April 2012.
2. Warning: Increased Mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis, drugs.com, http://www.drugs.com/pro/seroquel.html
3. NPS Prescribing Practice Review 37: “Role of antipsychotics in managing behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia”, http://www.nps.org.au/health_professionals/publications/prescribing_practice_review/current/role_of_antipsychotics_in_managing_behavioural_and_psychological_symptoms_of_dementia
4. ”Antipsychotic drugs dangerous for the elderly”, Agedcarecrisis.com, 27 May 2008, http://www.agedcarecrisis.com/dementia/dementia-and-antipsychotics-medication-or-management/2773-antipsychotic-drugs-dangerous-for-the-elderly
5. “Antipsychotics Increase Risks for Sudden Cardiac Death,” Pharmacology Corner, Jan 2009, http://pharmacologycorner.com/atypical-antipsychotics-and-sudden-cardiac-death-medical-media-coverage/
6. ”Clozapine monitoring least stringent in Australia,” Medical Observer, 28 Feb 2012.
7. Mental Health Services in Australia, 2007-08 (August 2010), Aust. Institute of Health and Welfare, Mental Health Series 12, p. 189.